Week 8 Lecture Analysis

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Week 8 Lecture Analysis

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mitalaryan51

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Week 8 Relevant Case Theories And General Readings

Mills, Dye, and Mills (2009) categorize leadership into four types based on two dimensions:
task-centered and people-centered leadership. These categories help leaders balance the
focus on achieving organizational goals with caring for their team members. The four types
are:

1. Task-Oriented Leadership: Highly focused on completing tasks, setting goals, and achieving
measurable outcomes. Task-oriented leaders prioritize productivity and efficiency, often with
structured guidance and direct oversight. Musk’s leadership style at Twitter reflects this type, as
he emphasizes output, deadlines, and a high-performance culture.

2. People-Oriented Leadership: Emphasizes team members' well-being, support, and

development, valuing relationship-building and morale. People-oriented leaders engage in active
listening, provide resources, and foster a positive work environment. A people-centered approach
would help reduce cynicism at Twitter by addressing employee needs, stress, and engagement
concerns.
3. Directive Leadership (Task-Centered with High Control): Leaders here are decisive,
providing clear instructions and closely monitoring performance. This style works well in high-
pressure environments or crisis situations where direction is essential. Musk’s direct oversight
and clear demands for “hardcore” work reflect this approach, aiming for strict adherence to
goals.

4. Supportive Leadership (People-Centered with High Involvement): Leaders adopting this

style prioritize the team’s needs and personal development, fostering a supportive, collaborative
culture. This approach could help Twitter by reducing stress, creating a healthier work-life
balance, and engaging employees in the change process.

To improve Twitter’s culture, blending Musk’s task-centered approach with people-

centered strategies would help address morale and reduce the resistance and cynicism
arising from intense, directive demands.

4 key dimensions of a leader (transformational leadership)

From the Anand & Barsoux (2017) paper, here are some important frameworks and
theories relevant to understanding and managing organizational change effectively:

1. Three Factors for Successful Transformation:

Catalyst: The specific trigger or need for change, such as financial difficulties or a need for
competitive repositioning. In the Twitter case, Musk’s acquisition and cost-cutting focus could be
seen as his catalyst.
Quest: Identifying the primary objective or mission of the transformation, such as increasing
customer focus, nimbleness, or global reach. Twitter might define its quest around improved
operational efficiency or content innovation.
Capabilities: Developing the leadership and skill set required to drive the transformation and
maintain new cultural norms.

2. Five Transformation Quests:

Global Presence: Expanding and reconfiguring to operate internationally.
Customer Focus: Tailoring services/products to better meet customer needs.
Nimbleness: Building flexibility to respond to fast-changing environments.
Innovation: Fostering creativity and generating new ideas and solutions.
Sustainability: Aligning practices with environmental and social goals.

3. Transformation Traps:
Neglecting the Quest: Failing to clearly define the organization’s purpose can lead to lack of
focus and ineffective leadership.
Wrong Quest Selection: Selecting change priorities that do not align with core challenges can
backfire, as seen in past cases where companies missed their main issues.
Overreaching: Taking on too many goals at once or pursuing change beyond the organization’s
capabilities can derail the transformation.

4. Quest Audit:
A structured tool to help organizations assess their readiness and pinpoint transformation
priorities by rating competencies like global expansion, customer solutions, and innovation. This
can help Twitter’s leadership diagnose areas of improvement and focus resources effectively.

These frameworks provide a structured approach to understanding why some transformations

succeed while others fail, emphasizing the importance of aligning transformation efforts with a
clear, focused objective and equipping leadership with the skills necessary to guide the
organization through changes.

Kouzes and Posner’s (2009) *The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership* provides key
frameworks that can help understand and cultivate effective leadership. Here are the five
practices highlighted in the paper, along with how they may apply to change management
or organizational transformations like those at Twitter:

1. Model the Way: Leaders set an example by aligning their behavior with their values and
beliefs. This involves establishing principles for behavior, clarifying values, and leading by
example. Leaders must be willing to do what they ask others to do.

2. Inspire a Shared Vision: Exemplary leaders envision an ideal future and motivate others to
share in this vision. They communicate a clear, compelling vision and help others see how they
fit within this future, fostering a collective commitment.

3. Challenge the Process: Leaders look for ways to innovate, grow, and improve. This practice
encourages risk-taking, learning from mistakes, and being open to new ideas. It’s about pushing
boundaries and creating a culture that values progress and adaptability.

4. Enable Others to Act: Great leaders foster collaboration and empower others. They build
trust and strengthen individuals’ capacity to contribute. By providing resources, delegating
authority, and fostering a culture of mutual respect, leaders can make others feel capable and
motivated.

5. Encourage the Heart: Recognizing individual contributions and celebrating achievements

helps build morale and fosters commitment. Leaders encourage the heart by acknowledging and
appreciating others’ hard work, often through small acts of kindness, creating a supportive and
positive work environment.